Only Pablo Sandoval of all people got away with running on Gerardo Parra.

A day after his three home-run trots in San Diego Sandoval was in sprinting mode in Thursday night's 4-2 loss to the Diamondbacks in the opener of a weeklong homestand. He tripled in the fourth inning belly-flopping into third base to complete a mad 270-foot dash and then had the gall to tag and head for home on a fly to Parra in right field.

Sandoval knocked into catcher Miguel Montero and dived over the plate never touching it. But because Sandoval was living a charmed life he was ruled safe by umpire Tom Hallion.

It was a nice homecoming for the third baseman after his historic game a night earlier and it was one of the few highlights for a crowd announced at 41193 one of the most vacant sellouts on the team's list of 234 in a row.

Other Giants weren't so lucky running on Parra a past Gold Glove defender known for his fabulous arm. Parra threw out Brandon Crawford at the plate in the third inning and Brandon Belt trying to stretch a single into a double in the fifth. Those were Parra's 12th and 13th assists of the season.

"There's not a better arm in baseball" Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "It's electric. He showed it tonight. He helped win the ballgame for them. That's how good he is. Quick release and as strong an arm as I've seen and it's on the money too. It's impressive how he throws."

Then why did the team test it?

"I don't know" Bochy said. "You'd have to ask them. I mean Belt's got that ball right in front of him. He's aware of his arm and he kept going there. At that point you're hoping (Belt) shuts it down but he didn't."

Sandoval's triple gave him hits in five consecutive at-bats all while swinging left-handed and including his three homers Wednesday. He struck out in the sixth. In the eighth with lefty Joe Thatcher on the mound Sandoval batted right-handed and bounced into a double play. The Giants didn't get another runner.